Shutter-operating attachment for photographic cameras.



A H. C. ATWOOD.

SHUTTER OPERATING ATTACHMENT FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERAS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.21,1913- l 1 8 1 ,3 64 Patented May 2, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Z/UZZTZBJJEJ. Inventor.

H. C. ATWOOD.

SHUTTER OPERATING ATTACHMENT FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERAS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21. 19.13.

Patented MayZ, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Ewell/Z01? @flf w THE COLUMBIA PLANOCIRAPH co.,WASHINGTON, D. c

'ill llTlZlD @TATFS PATENT @FFEQE.

HARRY G. ATWOOI), OF NOCONA, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FIFTH TO L. G.PERKINS, OF NOCONA, TEXAS.

SHUTTER-OPERATING ATTACHMENT FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERAS.

Application filed March 21, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY C. Arwoon,

, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nocona, in the county ofMontague and State of Texas, have invented a new and usefulShutter-Operating Attachment for Photographic Cameras, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an auxiliary attachment in the form of a smallmechanical device, which may be attached to any photographic cameraWhose shutter is operated by a thumb-lever, and being so connected withsaid lever that the operator may at will set the mechanical arrangementof said attachment in motion, thereby causing it to operate the shutterof the photographic camera to which it is attached, giving any desiredtime of exposure, within certain limitations, at any desired time,within certain limitations, after the mechanical arrangement of saidattachment has been set in motion, thus giving the correct desired timeof exposure, and also permitting the operator to place himself withinthe range of the photographic camera before the shutter of said camerais operated and the exposure made.

The objects of my invention are, first, the provision of an attachmentfor photographic cameras which is designed to operate the shutter of thephotographic camera to which it is attached, giving the correct time ofexposure, whereby with ordinary photographic cameras the operator isrequired to approximate the length of time the shutter is held open;second, to enable the operator to set the attachment to give a certaindesired length of exposure at a certain desired length of time after themechanical arrangement of said attachment. has been set in motion,thereby allowing the operator any specified length of time, withincertain limitations to place himself within the range of thephotographic camera to which said attachment is connected, and thus be apart of the objects included within the range of said photographiccamera when the exposure is made; third, the construction of a shutteroperating device which may be attached to any photographic camera, whoseshutter is operated by a thumb-lever, such photographic camera not beingalready pro- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1916.

Serial No. 755,933.

vlded with such means of shutter operation. I attain these objects bythe mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figurel is a top view showing the mechanlsm after the outside case has beenremoved; Fig. 2 is a side view of the inside mechanism, after having thefront plate R, and middle plate N, shown in Fig. 1, and parts attachedthereto, removed, showing the arrangement of the cog-wheels in thegearlng and other parts; Fig. 3 is a view of the front plate R shown inFig. 1, removed from the other mechanism and carrying with it thevarious parts of the inside mechanism which work on or are attached toit; F 4 1s a side view of the disk at, shown in Fig. 3, showing theconstruction of the parts as they work in relation to the disk a in Fig.3 and the front plate It in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a side view of theconnecting bar 6, shown in Fig. 3, one end of which is fitted in abearing in the disk (4 in- Fig. 3, and the other end is fitted in abearing in the slide 0, shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a perspective viewshowing the construction of the slide 0, shown in Fig. 1 and sectionallyshown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of theattachment when completed inclosed in its case, showing the projectingparts and the dial and indicator hands; Fig. 8 is a front elevationshowing the method of attaching the device to a photographic camera foroperation.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The main supporting frame of the inside mechanism consists of threeplates, M, N, R, shown in Fig. 1, placed parallel to each other andsupported and connected by four posts, l/V, one placed at each corner ofthe plates, the ends of the posts entering the plate M being securelyriveted thereto; at the point on the posts where the plate N is placed,the diameter of the posts are reduced continuous to the end, forming ashoulder thereon, the smaller ends of the posts thus formed beinginserted through holes of proper diameter placed in proper position ateach corner of the plate N, allowing the plate N to rest against theshoulders thus formed on the posts W, said plate being held in positionagainst the shoulders by pins inserted through the diameter of saidposts; by a similar reduction in the diameter of the posts V] at theirsmaller ends, another shoulder is formed, against which the plate Rrests, which plate is held in position by nuts which are fitted on theend of each post, the end of each post being fitted with threads forthat purpose.

The shaft K, shown in Fig. 1, carrying the main driving gear 1, passesthrough the plate M, and plate N, which plates serve as supports andbearings for said shaft, and extends outward flush with the indicatorhand as. The end of the shaft K passing through the plate M is fittedwith a flat thumbbolt for turning the shaft K and winding up the coilspring 8, the central end of which spring is secured to the shaft K andthe outer end to the post W, said spring furnishing the power foroperating the gearing. The cog-wheel I turns freely on the shaft K, theratchet-wheel J being secured to the shaft K, and having a pawl 7002,held in position by a suitable spring, attached to the cog-wheel I, asshown in Fig. 2, which pawl engages with the teeth on the ratchet-wheelJ. The cog-wheelI gears in a pinion secured to the shaft H, which shafthasits bearings in the plate M and plate N respectively; the cog-wheelZ, also secured to the shaft H, gears in a pin ion on the shaft G, whichpinion is secured to the shaft G, said shaft having its bearings in theplate M and plate N respectively; the cog-wheel m, which is secured tothe shaft G, gears with. a pinion on the shaft B, which pinion issecured to the shaft B, said shaft having its bearings in the plate Mand plate N respectively; the cog-Wheel V, which is secured to the shaftB, gears with a pinion Y, which pinion is secured to the shaft X, saidshaft carrying the governor, or speed regulator, and having its bearingsin the plate M and plate N respectively.

The governor, or speed regulator, consists of a disk 4), which issecured to the shaft X, directly in contact with the pinion gear Y; alsoa similar disk 0, which disk is free to slide toward either end of shaftX, said shaft from the center of its length outward to the point whereit enters the plate M, being square, and the disk 0 having a centralopening of similar size and shape, thus preventing the disk 0 fromrotating on the shaft X, but allowing it to move freely toward eitherend of shaft X at this point. At opposite points on the diameter of thedisk o and disk 0 a flat, narrow strip of spring metal of Suitablestrength is attached, in the center between the two ends of which apiece of metal of suitable weight is attached; secured to the disk 0 isa similar disk u, but of larger diameter, which is virtually a part ofthe disk 0 the thumb-screw Z, which has its bearing in the plate M, isprovided with screw threads from the point where the shank leaves theplate M continuous to the end of said shank, the frictionblock 3/ beingprovided with similar threads into which the thumb -screw Z enters, apin being inserted through the diameter of the shank of said thumb-screwnext to the inner side of the plate M, to hold said thumb-screw inproper position; beneath the point where the thumb-screw Z enters thefriction-block 3 a hole of suitable diameter is placed, into which apost of similar diameter enters, parallel to the thumbscrew Z, as shownin Fig. 2, said post being 'securely fitted into the plate M, allowingthe frictioii-block y to slide freely on said post, the function of saidpost being to act as support and guide to the friction-block g, on theSide of the friction-block ;I having its position next to thecircumference of the disk u, an opening is formed, leaving a flat sideof said friction-block extending on each side of the disk u parallel tothe sides of said disk, said opening being of sufficient width to allowample room on each side of the disk at, for allowing said disk to rotatefreely therein. \Vhen the shaft X is caused to rotate by means of thespring 3 and the subsequent gearing, as heretofore explained, thecentrifugal force caused by the rotation of said shaft, tends toincrease the diameter of the circle described by the metal weightssecured to the flat strips of spring metal which are attached toopposite sides of the circumference of the disk 0 and disk 0, as shownin Fig. 1 and previously explained, thus shortening the distance in astraight line between the two ends of the strips of spring metal, andconsequently drawing the disk 0, and disk at attached thereto, towardthe point where the disk *0 is secured to the shaft X, in distanceproportionate to the speed at which the shaft X is rotated. i Vhen theshaft X is rotated at sufficient speed to cause the disk at to come incontact with the corresponding side of the frictionblock y, the frictioncaused by such contact tends to check the speed of the shaft X, andconsequently when the friction on the disk at is sufficiently reduced bya reduction in the speed of the shaft X, said shaft again has a tendencyto increase its speed in accordance with the pressure of the disk "11,against the side of the friction-block y, and thus a practically uniformspeed of the shaft X is maintained, in accordance with the degree ofpressure maintained by the disk 14 against the side of thefriction-block n, such pressure being regulated by moving thefriction-block y/ toward either end of the shaft X by means of thethumb-screw Z.

The ratchet-wheel L is secured to the shaft K; the ratchet-wheel d,which is secured to a sleeve of sufiicient diameter to adiiiit j theshaft K, such-sleeve ertending through the plate R, and to the outer endof which the indicator hand at is secured, ro-

' r J3 ltateson theshaft la, and on one s1de or which ratchet-wheel,ertending from the center outward, an arm is securely attached, as shownin Fig. 3, carrying a pawl thereon,

' held in position by a suitable spring, which pawl engages in the teethon the ratchetwheel L; thejarm C isalso secured to a sleeve ofsufiicient diameter to admit the sleeve to which theratchet-wheel cl issecured, and rotating thereon, said sleeve extending through the plateR, and to the outer end of which the indicator hand a is secured,thesaid arm C carrying a pawl, held in position by a suitable spring,which ratchet engages in the teeth on theratchetwheel (2; theratcl1etwl1eel d and the arm '0 turn about the shaft K in the directionFig. 1, the slideguide 71, and the supporting brace w acting as supportsand bearings for the shaftP, the outer end of said shaft being providedwith a thumb-head t, and havng an indicator hand attached thereto, saidthumb-head being secured to said shaft P,

and serving as a means of turning said shaft;.at .a certain polnt on thecircumferi once of the disk a, a projection F is formed,

as shown in Fig. 3, which, when said disk rotatesin thedirectionindicated by the ar- "row in Fig. 3, engageswith thecatch-lever e and catch-lever f, at different intervals,

"which catch-levers are held in position by suitable springs, have astheir fulcrum and are held in position by, posts of suitable size andlength. The function of said catchlevers is to stop the movement of saiddisk 0/, at certain points in its rotation; near the point on the diskor where the projection F is formed, a similar but smaller pro ection'isalso formed, but in reverse position to the projection F, forming anopening between the two projections of sufficient wldth to "freely admitthe outer projection of the catch-lever e, the function of the smallerprojection being toprevent the disk a from turning in reverse directlonwhen the shaft P is turned by means of the thumb-head If for winding upthe coil spring T; the catchlever e, as shown in Fig. 8, is formed withtwo projections, one on each side of its fulcrum, the one at the end ofsaid catch-lever being termed the outer projection, and the other theinner projection, the inner projection being slightly shorter than theouter projection; the function of the inner projection is to act as asafety to prevent the projection F on the disk 4; from passing the outerprojection on the catch-lever a, when said disk is allowed to make afull revolution, after said catch-lever e has been raised by the arm Ato release the disk a, before the outer projection on the catch-lever eis 111 proper position to again engage with the projection F on saiddisk. The end of the catch-lever e, which comes in contact with the armA, is so formed as to prevent the arm C from coming in contact with it,and likewise the end of the catch-lever f which comes in contact withthe arm C, is so formed as to prevent the arm A from coming in contactwith it. A post 1' is securely fitted in the plate R, in proper positionto prevent the catch-lever e from coming in contact with any part of thecircumference of the disk a, except the projection F and its similaropposite projection.

The disk a, as heretofore explained, is free to turn on the shaft P,being held in position by a' cap on the end of said shaft, as shown inFig. 15 secured to the shaft P at a point between the disk a and theslideguide it, is a ratchet-wheel n, as shown in Fig. 4, saidratchet-wheel being of smaller diameter than the disk at, a pawl it,held in position by a suitable spring, being attached to the inner sideof the disk at, which engages in the teeth on said ratchet-wheel; between the support to and the plate R, as shown in Fig. l, a coil springT of suitable strength is placed, the central end being attached to theshaft P, and the outer end to a suitable post securely fixed in theplate R. Then the shaft P is turned in the direction indicated by thearrow in Fig. 7, by means of the thumb-head 2., shown in Fig. 1, thecoil spring T is wound up, being prevented from unwinding by theratchet-wheel a and its pawl n, allowing the disk (6 to remain in afixed position, until released by the catch-lever 6, when the action ofsaid coil spring T forcing the shaft P, and the ratchet-wheel n securedthereto, to revolve in opposite direction to that in which the shaft Pis rotated to wind the coil spring T, the teeth on the said ratchetwheelengaging the ratchet or pawl attached. to the said disk 0;, causes it torevolve with the shaft P, in the direction indicated by the arrow inFig. 8, until arrested by the catchlever 7' or catch-lever e,respectively. The function of the catch-lever is to arrest the furtherrotation of the disk or, until the arm C forces said catch-lever out ofposition and -releases said disk.

111 order to stop the rotation of the disk (1 after one revolution whenthe slide 0 has made a quick reciprocatory movement, as for instance,when there is a quick bulb release in the operation of the camerashutter, I provide the lever 6 with a bent portion 072, see Fig. 3.Under these circumstances, the lever f is raised by the arm C out ofengagement with the projection F on the disk at. The disk a wouldcontinue to revolve until the arm A had moved a suflicient, distance toallow the catch lever e to resume its original position by means of thespring attached thereto. Without the bent end 076 the disk could onlystop when the catch lever 6 again came into engagement with theprojection F of the disk A.

As a matter of fact, owing to the position of the bent portion 070, thelatter is moved so as to take a position nearer to the circumference ofthe disk (4 when the opposite end of the lever is moved away from it soas to engage the projection F on the disk a, thus stopping the rotationof said disk 64 after one revolution.

The connecting-bar 1), shown in Fig. 3, is constructed as shown in Fig.5, a shoulder being formed on each end, and one extension being slightlyshorter than the other, the end of the shorter extension being fittedinto a hole of similar diameter in the disk a, which acts as itsbearing, and the longer extension being fitted into a similar hole inthe slide 0, which acts as its bearing. The slide 0 is held in positionand slides freely in the guides i, h and g, shown in Fig. 3, beingprovided with a slot running lengthwise for a certain distance throughits middle, as shown in Fig. 4, to avoid interference with the shaft P.When the disk a is released and rotates with the shaft P, theconnecting-bar I), having one end of its bearings in the disk (4, iscarried downward, and said connectingbar having its other bearing in theslide 0, forces the slide 0 downward also, in distance according to thepoint at which the disk a is arrested in its rotation.

.The construction of the slide 0 is shown in Fig. 6, being onlysectionally shown in Fig. 3. The right angle projection shown oppositethe side provided with the slot, extends through a suitable opening inthe plate M, as shown in Fig. 1, and is provided with a thumb-screw forattaching suitable connections for operating the thumb-lever on thephotographic camera to which the device is attached, the action of saidslide being in either direction perpendicular to the top and bottom ofsaid device.

The automatic stop, or shut-off, which serves to arrest the motion ofthe mechanical arrangement, after the arms A and C have moved asuflicient distance to perform their duty, with reference to thecatch-levers e and f; is shown in Fig. 1. It consists of a rocker-arm70, one end of which fits into a bearing in the plate R, extends throughthe plate N, having its other end fitted into a bearing in the plate M;near the end of said rocker-arm having its bearing in the plate R, anarm j is fitted, said arm being held in place by a set-screw, which armcomes in contact with the arm 0 at a certain which, when the arm jattached to the opposite end of the rocker-arm is comes in contact withthe arm C, and is raised a sufficient distance, the spiral springattached to the loop U having a tendency to draw the spring-armdownward, since the action of said spiral spring is to draw in adownward direction, the direction of movement of the shaft of the rockerarm 70 will depend upon the direction of movement of the outer extremityof the loop U, comes in contact with the disk at, the friction caused bysuch contact being great enough to stop the rotation of the shaft X, and'thus stop the further movement of the mechanical parts of the aforesaiddevice. Situated in the top of the case covering the device is apush-button D, shown in Fig. 3, having a shank which extendsperpendicularly through a suitable opening in said case, being held inposition by a suitable spring, and pin. inserted through the shank ofsame, the end of said shank being so situated as to come in contact withthe arm j when the shoe on the aforesaid spring-arm is resting againstthe disc to; thus, when the pushbutton I) is forced downward, therebyforcing the arm j downward a sufficient distance, the spiral springattached to the loop U has a tendency to draw the said arm j downward acertain distance in accordance with a suitable stop securely fixed inthe plate R, and hold said arm in such position until the arm C comes incontact with said arm y', such movement of the said arm y' raising theaforesaid spring-arm secured to the opposite end of the rocker-arm la, asufiicient distance to relieve the friction on the shoe on same againstthe disk at, and thus leaving the shaft X free to rotate and cause themechanical parts of the device to perform their functions.

The face plate S, shown in Fig. 1, is a metal plate of light material,having an opening for the dial shown in Fig. 7, and having suitablesupports and being attached to the plate R by means of suitable screws,as shown in Fig. 1, said plate merely serving as a covering for thefront of the device. Thus, when the arm A and arm 0 are set in anycertain position by means of the indicator hands 00 and z, and thegovernor, or speed regulator carried on the shaft X, as previouslyexplained, is released and the auxiliary gearing set in motion, theratchetwheel L and the ratchet-wheel (Z are caused to rotate in thedirection indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3, carrying with them the armsA and C; when the arm A comes in contact with the catch-lever c, and hasraised same a sufiicient distance, the disk at is released, and thecoil-spring T, shown in Fig. 1, having been wound up by means of thethumb-head t, the said disk rotates in the direction indicated by thearrow in Fig. 1, until arrested by the catch-lever f, and the disk atbeing connected with the slide 0 by means of the connecting bar Z),forces said slide 0 downward; when the arm C comes in contact with thecatchvlever f, and has raised same a sutficient distance, the disk a isagain released and continues its rotation until arrested by thecatch-lever e, forcing the slide a back to its original position. '1 heintervals of time between the movements of the slide 0 determine thetime and length of exposure, such movements of said slide being governedby the position at which the arms A and C are placed on their respectiveratchet-wheels, such positions being determined by the indicator handsand dial shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 8 shows the method of attaching the device to a photographiccamera, a thumb screw being fitted at a suitable position in the bottomof the case which serves to attach the device to the clamp-bracket, anda similar thumb-screw fitted in the bottom of the clamp-bracket servesto attach same to the base of the photographic camera, as shown in Fig.8. The projecting end of the slide being provided with a thumb-screw,any suitable connection may be devised to connect said slide with thethumb-lever which operates the shutter of the photographic camera towhich said device is attached, since difierent manufacturers ofphotographic cameras have different methods of constructing same.

I claim- 1. In a shutter operating attachment for photographic cameras,a shutter operating slide adapted to be reciprocated, means undertension for reciprocating the slide, means for normally preventing theoperation of said reciprocating means, means for releasing thereciprocating means so as to cause the operation of the slide, means forvarying the period of the reciprocating movement of the slide, said lastnamed means including a governor, and means for adjusting the governor.

2. In a shutter operating attachment for photographic cameras, areciprocating shutter operating slide, means under tension forreciprocating said slide, means for normally preventing the operation ofsaid slide operating means, and means including a train of gears and atrip arm carried thereby for releasing said slide means through theengagement of the trip arm with the means for normally preventing theoperation of the slide operating means.

3. In a shutter operating attachment for photographic cameras, areciprocating shutter-operating slide, means under tension forreciprocating said slide, means for normally preventing the operation ofsaid slide reciprocating means, means including a train reciprocatingsaid slide, means for normally preventing the operation of said slidereciprocating means, means including a train of gears and a trip armcarried thereby for releasing said slide reciprocating means through theengagement of the trip arm with the means for normally preventing theoperation of the slide reciprocating means, means for normallypreventing the movement of said train of gears and said trip arm, meansfor releasing the train of gears and thereby permitting the movement ofthe trip arm, and means for adjusting the position of the trip arm tovary the time be tween the initial movement of the train of gears andthe contact of the trip arm with the slide release means.

5. In a shutter operating attachment for photographic cameras, areciprocating slide, means under tension for reciprocating the slide,means for normally rendering the last named means inoperative, a trainof gears, a pair of arms connected therewith, one of said arms beingarranged to release said slide operating mechanism to permit theoperation or" the slide in one direction, means for subsequentlystopping the slide, the other of said arms serving to again release theslide operating means, thereby permitting the slide to return to itsnormal position.

6. In a shutter operating attachment for the slide operating means,thereby permit- In testimony whereof I affix my signature, ting theslide to return to its normal posiin the presence of two Witnesses.

tion, anc means for adjusting the relative w position 01"? the two armsto vary the time HARRY ATWOOD' lapsing between the movement of the slideWVitnesses: I

in one direction and its movement in the CLARK N. LOWELL,

opposite direction. ROY PRICE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner or latents. Washington, D. G.

